Daily Staff Writer

Ross Hall was evacuated Monday afternoon when four Ames Fire Department units and two Department of Public Safety cars responded to an alarm.

Authorities received the call at 2:57 p.m., and people were allowed to re-enter the building at about 3:15 p.m.

Ames Fire Lt. Paul Sandoval said the fire department got a report of smoke in Ross Hall, but when units arrived “we didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.”

After an investigation of the building, fire department officials determined there was no fire. However, Ames Fire Lt. Kevin Kinzler said investigators were “trying to figure out if an alarm malfunctioned or if something did set it off.”

Investigators found a man on the second floor of Ross Hall using a torch and a maintenance man reported smoke coming through a vent.

“Right now, I don’t know what happened,” said Ames Fire Lt. Jena Pepper.

Sandoval said a thermal imaging detector was used to check heat levels in the building, but nothing was found to be unusual.

“It doesn’t look like anything serious,” Kinzler said.